In fact, all the interviews have been posted by now, but you still have until January 3rd (midnight east) to enter all the giveaways (see all the link at the bottom of this post), and all winners will be announced on each respective Rafflecopter widget once I pick them, so don’t forget to come back and see if you’ve been lucky!

I would like to thank everyone for such an awesome response! I was really happy to have all of you come and visit and I hope you enjoyed learning about your favorite authors’ Christmas habits =)

Here are some numbers:

30 Authors

28 Giveaways which breaks down to 54 books total & some jewelry and lots of swag!

But this events wouldn’t have been possible without the participation of some truly awesome allies, and I would like to thank every single one of them personally for their time, their efforts and their generosity!

First, thank you to my friends from the different publishing houses (you know who you are, and you rock!)

And now a huge Thank You to the fabulous authors who made room for us in their busy schedule! You guys have been so amazing, we can’t thank you enough =)

Today is the last day of A Christmas With… and I’m really happy to spend it with Elizabeth C Bunce, author of Starcrossed & Liar’s Moon! I loved Starcrossed and can’t wait to get started on the second book ^^

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1- Starcrossed, the first book in the Thief Errant series was a huge success, how different was the release of Liar’s Moon for you?

I think the response to StarCrossed caught us all off guard, so with Liar’s Moon, my publisher has done a lot to promote the release, particularly to booksellers and e-book readers (for a limited time, the e-book edition of StarCrossed is available for $2.99, and includes a big sample of Liar’s Moon!). Liar’s Moon is getting a lot of exciting press and attention, and it’s been fun to see more and more people discovering Digger!

2- Your characters have very original names, I find myself wondering where you find your inspiration?

I have a background in anthropology and linguistics, so my first priority is to make the names seem to fit the cultural/linguistic background they’re coming from. My second priority is to make them easy for a reader to pronounce! (I am not always successful with this last one, alas! Sometimes a character just arrives, complete with her name, and you have to go with it.)

3- If you had to pick three theme songs for Liar’s Moon, what would they be?

I actually did have a playlist, of sorts–particular songs that evoked a mood, a relationship, or a scene for me, although put together they sound really eclectic. The first one would be Billy Joel’s "Blonde Over Blue," which I’d call the "Koya and Durrel Theme." The next would be the clanky instrumental "Discombobulate/Marital Sabotage" from the Sherlock Holmes (2010) soundtrack, which was sort of my "Gerse Theme," because every time I heard it, it put me right into that dirty, mysterious city. And the now-infamous last scene Liar’s Moon was totally inspired by an old English sea chantey called "Don’t Forget Your Old Shipmate," and that probably makes no sense to anyone but me!

4- How many books can we expect in the series? Do you have a tentative title/release date for the next book?

At the moment, Digger’s future is not firmly established. I know we’d all love for there to be a third book, and my editor and I have talked at length about what that book will be, but nothing is firm as of yet. It depends on the fans, really!

Now onto some Xmas-y questions:

5- What’s a typical Christmas like in the Digger’s World?

Well, there’s no Christmas in Digger’s world, but like many cultures, there is a sacred midwinter holiday. In Llyvraneth, it’s called the Dead of Winter, and corresponds to the closest full moon of Marau, god of the dead, to midwinter. Instead of a holiday of merriment and festivity, it’s a solemn day of remembrance of the dead. There is also a tradition of feeding birds on the Dead of Winter, as birds (particularly crows, rooks, and ravens) are thought to communicate between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

6- What’s the best Christmas gift we could offer her?

I know we’re supposed to say something like "peace in Llyvraneth and safety for her friends…" but Digger likes *things,* so she’d be pretty easy to buy for. Her favorite gifts have been small, lavish, and portable (like the embroidered black gloves Durrel gives her in StarCrossed)… so I think she would really like an Iphone, although service is spotty right now in post-war Gerse.

7- What’s your best Christmas memory as a kid?

Oh, that’s tough! I vividly remember being five years old and waking up very, very early in the morning to use the bathroom. I knew it was too early to get up and check under the tree, but as I toddled down the hallway, I accidentally (hear that, Mom? ACCIDENTALLY!) caught a glimpse of a huge, hulking shadow in the living room that scared the daylights out of me. I crept down the hall to investigate… to discover a giant (GIANT) teddy bear sitting on the sofa! He was probably a good 5′ tall, and much bigger around than my five-year-old arms could reach around. Like a good little girl, I scuttled straight back to bed until the sun rose and my big brother got me up.

8- What can we wish you for this Merry time?

Well, I would like world peace and health and safety for my friends! This is the first holiday season in five or six years that I haven’t been just coming off a deadline, and it’s lovely–for the first time in ages I have all this mental space to enjoy the holidays, not just survive them! We even got our decorations up before Thanksgiving, which I think is a first ever.

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Liar’s Moon

Prisons, poisons, and passions combine in a gorgeously written fantasy noir.

As a pickpocket, Digger expects to spend a night in jail every now and then. But she doesn’t expect to find Lord Durrel Decath there as well–or to hear he’s soon to be executed for killing his wife.

Durrel once saved Digger’s life, and when she goes free, she decides to use her skills as a thief, forger, and spy to return the favor. But each new clue only opens up new mysteries. Durrel’s late wife had an illegal business on the wrong side of the civil war raging just outside the city gates. Digger keeps finding forbidden magic in places it has no reason to be.

And for a thief in a town full of liars, sometimes it doesn’t pay to know the truth.

“I write historical fantasy for young adults and discerning not-so-young adults. "Historical fantasy" means my work is inspired by real places and cultures of the past, but with fantastical, otherworldly, or magical elements.

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember–even before I knew it was a job! I’ve always been interested in literature, folklore, history, and culture, so I studied English and anthropology in college. But I’ve only ever worked as a writer (although not all my writing jobs were as interesting as being a novelist).

I’m a native Midwesterner, currently living in the tall grass prairie near Kansas City with my husband and our dogs. When I’m not writing, you can find me with a book, a dog, or my needlework in hand, sometimes all of the above, which makes for some furry embroidery.”

A Christmas With is almost over, but worry not, there’s fun until the end! I’m really happy to have Anna Carey by my side, author of Eve, to celebrate it’s release =)

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1- Eve is your first YA novel, was it a challenge to change from a middle grade audience to an older one?

The two series are very different, but it didn’t feel challenge to write for an older audience. I’d had Eve’s voice stuck in my head, and when I began the book I just wrote from her perspective and the process felt very natural. The book is actually an incarnation of another book I was working on in graduate school, which was solidly adult.

2- Eve is part of a trilogy, Once is the title of the second book, have you already picked the third book’s title? How hard is it for you to choose your book’s title?

I’m currently discussing the title of the third book with my editor. I can’t reveal it yet, but soon! I can have a hard time picking titles and rely heavily on her opinion. I’m sometimes so close to the book I can’t pin point the one message or feeling that the reader will take away from it. That said, the first and third book were much easer to title than the second one.

4- If your book was turned into a movie, which actors would you pick to play your characters?

Ahh yes…fantasy casting! Eve’s been optioned for television, and there’s a pilot in development. Eve is a genuinely kind person, but grows stronger (and fiercer) over the course of the series. I love Pretty Little Liars, and even though Sasha Pieterse (Ali) is a bit evil in that show, that actress seems to have a mix of sweetness and strength. For Caleb, I keep thinking of Jackson Rathbone from the Twilight movies. If you take off all that vampire makeup and get rid of his red contacts, he definitely has Caleb’s look. For full explanations and pictures, check out the official EVE web site: http://theevetrilogy.alloyentertainment.com/anna-carey-fantasy-casts-eve/#1

Now onto some Christmas-y questions!

5- What’s your favorite Christmas song?

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Whenever I hear it I think of that scene in Home Alone, when Kevin is pretending to have the party at his house. Growing up, I watched that movie hundreds of times with my brother, so that song always reminds me of him.

6- What is Christmas like in Eve’s world?

For those who live in the wild, beyond the City of Sand, Christmas comes and goes like most other days. Presents are scavenged items wrapped in the pages of old books. Holidays bring up pain more than anything else, and remind survivors of the time before the plague, and loved ones they lost. Inside the City of Sand (which you’ll learn much more about in Once) Christmas is a celebration, and an opportunity for the new government to show the citizens inside the walls all the City has to offer.

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Eve

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Anna Carey is the author of the forthcoming EVE trilogy, which releases October 4th, 2011. She grew up on Long Island, the daughter of a special education teacher and an astronomer. Early on she talked of being a painter, district attorney, flutist, physical therapist, or graphic designer, but eventually pursued writing—the one thing that allowed her to be all of the above. She studied Literature and Creative Writing at NYU, and took part in her fair share of snowball fights in Washington Square Park. After college, she worked as an editor in children’s publishing before getting a Masters in Fiction from Brooklyn College. She now lives in Los Angeles, where the apartments are bigger and the weather is sunnier, but she still misses New York.

Please welcome today’s guest, Cynthia Hand, author of Unearthly and the soon-to-be released Hallowed. Make sure you read on the discover more about the series and a particularly delightful Christmas story!

1- Unearthly received raving reviews from readers and fellow writers alike, what do you expect with Hallowed?

I think that most people who liked Unearthly will like Hallowed, for most of the same reasons. Hallowed is a middle book, and sometimes readers don’t fancy the middle book as much as the first. I’m like that, actually. I am generally not as thrilled with sequels because I miss the initial rush of getting to know the characters and their world. But Clara is still Clara and Tucker is still Tucker and their story carries on. Hallowed is a more serious, contemplative book than Unearthly, but I also think it is more emotionally powerful, for that reason.

2- Where will Clara take us this time around?

We’re still in Jackson, Wyoming, but the world has definitely changed for Clara in this second book. In Unearthly, Clara very much saw the world in black and white, but in Hallowed she comes to live in a world of grays. We’ll find out a lot more about angel-bloods in general, about Black Wings and White Wings, purpose, and, of course, we’ll find out more about Christian.

3- How did you manage to keep the tension, to not say love-triangle between Christian-Clara-Tucker alive?

Ha, I love these love triangle questions. What cracks me up about the reviews for Unearthly is how often folks talked about the love triangle. I don’t think I even thought the words love triangle when I was writing Unearthly, simply because I didn’t mean for the reader to truly get to know Christian. Clara has a crush on Christian in Unearthly, but it’s a crush on who she imagines him to be, not who he truly is. And she really gets to know and love Tucker. So there’s no contest, really. That said, in Hallowed, she really does get to know Christian, and she’s attracted to him and all that he represents, so it very much is more of a traditional triangle. I’m not really trying to manipulate the reader into being team Christian or team Tucker. I’m just interested in getting to know the characters and seeing what they do on the page.

4- How many books can we expect in the series? And when will the next one release?

Sigh. Well there were originally going to be four books in the series. Harper Collins only bought the first three, but I was working on the third book this summer and fall with the idea that there would be a fourth book. But my editor has recently convinced me that the story would be better served as a trilogy–that I didn’t quite have enough there for four books, so I am revising the third book to be the final book of the series. This makes me sad, in some ways, to leave Clara’s world, but it’s also exciting because there are some other projects I’ve been itching to work on and now I can get to those sooner. I don’t know what the release date will be yet.

Now onto some Xmas-y questions:

5- What was your favorite part of Christmas when you were a kid?

I think I loved the beauty and pageantry of Christmas best. I loved the lights and the tree and the candles that we used to light while we sang Silent Night at church on Christmas Eve and the all-in-all glowiness of Christmas.

6- Is there one present you received that really stuck to your memory?

I have a funny story about this. I’d been having some doubts about the existence of Santa, but when I confessed this to my parents, they said I would have to prove my theory. Or, in other words, disprove Santa’s existence. Nice, right? I tried to do this for a couple of years. I stuck notes up the chimney giving Santa instructions to bite off the gingerbread cookie’s left arm (if he really came down the chimney, he’d find the note and follow the instructions) and I tried to stay up late to catch my parents, but it never worked. I had savvy, savvy parents. Then one year I hit on an ingenious idea. We made our yearly trip to see Santa in the mall, and I told him I wanted a sewing kit. But I told my parents that I told him I wanted a specific kind of doll (what I really wanted). Oh how clever I was. Mwa ha ha. It was too good not to share, so I told my piano teacher all about my insidious plan. And I made her promise not to tell my parents. She promised. (She did not, however, promise not to tell ANYBODY, as I found out years later that it was her mother who called my parents and ratted me out). So Christmas morning. I bust downstairs to look under the tree, and there it was. . . the sewing kit. I was so astonished. Maybe Santa was real after all.

7- Is there a special tradition in your family?

Oh, lots. We open one present on Christmas Eve. We always read The Night Before Christmas on the night before Christmas (and The Grinch who stole Christmas) and we don’t open presents until at least 7am, and I like to make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

8- What would a typical Christmas be like for Clara?

I actually wrote a quick Christmas scene in Hallowed that was eventually cut, where Clara and Billy were decorating the tree. But I think Christmas is pretty ordinary for Clara. Maggie always wanted her kids to have normal upbringings as much as possible, so I think they had pretty standard traditions. That said, I’d guess that there would be a lot more angel jokes than usual around this day.

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Hallowed

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Cynthia Hand divides her time between Southern California, where she lives with her husband and son, and southeast Idaho near the Teton mountains. She teaches creative writing at Pepperdine University. She is the author of Unearthly.

In the Forests of the Night is the second book in the Goblin Wars series and released just last month. To celebrate the occasion Kersten accepted to stop by for a very touching interview. Please welcome her warmly =)

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1- In the Forest of the Night is your second YA book, how was the transition from writing to a younger audience?

Story is the heart of fiction, and readers of all ages crave it. A good picture book, one with story, can usually be turned into a good novel. Tyger, Tyger, the first book in the Goblin Wars series is proof of that—it started out as a picture book!

Writing picture books is hard because you must work with pure distilled essence of story. There is no room for error or extra words. It is so hard, in fact, that when I manage to write a good picture book, I put on my YA novelist hat and send my picture book self a box of truffles.

Even when I wrote Tyger Tyger as a picture book, I knew I wanted to expand it. I had to wait until my own children were grown and out of the house before I could settle into it, though. When I am writing, I am very, very focused, to the point that the rest of the world becomes a shadow land. While my children were at home I limited myself to writing picture books and MG novels. Even so, the children only survived because they learned to call out for pizza at a very early age.

Writing picture books is fun because it is such a challenge. Writing MG novels is fun because you get to step into the world of a ten or twelve year old, and enjoy the newness of the world all over again. I really enjoy writing YA because I can go wild with themes and thoughts. I love them all!

2- Tea finds herself between a rock and a hard place in this second installment, how will she manage to get the upper hand?

Now, Tynga. I can’t tell you how or even if she’ll get the upper hand or what it would look like if she did. It is an Irish story after all, and you know how they can be. I can say that readers will be surprised. Several times.

3- How many books can we expect in the Goblin Wars series? Do you have some exclusive tidbits to share with us?

I’m not sure yet – at least three, but maybe more. The only tidbit I can share is that if you loved Tyger Tyger you will LOVE the next book….

Now onto some Xmas-y questions:

5- What’s a typical Christmas like in the Hamilton family?

The whole Christmas season is fun. When my kids were little, we like picking out presents from the Angel tree – that is usually presents for children of men or women who are in prison, that are then sent from their parents. I like that idea a lot better than Santa Claus. I had real problems with that jolly old elf when I was a child—he never brought me anything. We always had a Christmas tree with ornaments from every Christmas we had been together; candlelight Christmas Eve service with carols; and stockings and presents at about nine o’clock on Christmas morning. Yes, you read that right. My children were all night owls, and even on Christmas I had a hard time getting them out of bed before nine! Now–a–days, I am just as happy to be traveling at Christmas as staying home.

6- How is it different from when you were a kid?

Very, very different. When I was a child we were very, very poor. I remember spending one Christmas in a basement because we were homeless. We did have carols and fun, but we almost never had presents, unless a charity sent over a box—and let me tell you, people put the weirdest things in those boxes. One Christmas I got a red striped shirt that was two sizes to large, and a choke collar for a dog. Which might have been useful…if I’d had a dog. And that was my problem with Santa Claus. It is very rough on a little kid to go to school after Christmas and be asked “What did Santa bring you?” Because he usually didn’t bring us anything, and everyone knew that Santa brings presents to good little children. Which meant…I wasn’t good and I had to stand up in front of class and admit it. My family wasn’t good because we were poor. Needless to say, I never told my children that Santa Claus brought gifts.

7- What’s Christmas like in Mag Mell?

Mag Mell is a bit like Narnia before Aslan returned. In Narnia it was always winter and never Christmas; in Mag Mell it is always summer, but the result is the same.

8- What could we offer Tea for Christmas?

A magic box to keep precious things in—a box that couldn’t be broken or stolen away by goblins.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Tynga. And Merry Christmas!

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about In the Forests of the Night

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Kersten would like to offer one of you a paperback copy of Tyger Tyger!

Unfortunately, Richelle is way to busy right now to participate in many blog events, but I’m a huge fan of her work and Kensington wishes to sponsor a giveaway for her =)

Shadow Heir, the last book in the Dark Swan series releases on December 27th, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Shadow Heir

#1 New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead returns to the Otherworld, a mystic land inextricably linked to our own–and balanced precariously on one woman’s desperate courage…

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land’s prophecy-haunted queen, there’s no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld…

The spell-driven source of the blight isn’t the only challenge to Eugenie’s instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can’t trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can’t–or won’t–reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon–and risk the ultimate sacrifice…

First of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU ALL! I really hope you have an amazing time with your friends and family =) Now, I’m really happy to welcome Julie Kagawa on the blog, to chat about her latest release, The Iron Knight!

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1- The Iron Knight is written from Ash’s POV, was it harder for you to write from his perspective?

It was a little harder, initially. I knew Meghan; after three books I knew her voice and her personality and her quirks. It was difficult with Ash, because he was such a guarded character, and he never was really chatty. And because he’s lived such a long time, and is an Unseelie fey, he’s done some things in his life that might change how some people view him. It was actually kind of scary putting his story out there; what will people think now that they know the real Ash? But I wrote his story as honestly as I could, and I hope they will come to love the Winter Prince as much as I do.

2- The book as been released since late October, what has been the fan’s response like thus far?

I think initial reactions have been very positive. There have been concerns that Meghan is barely featured, but it was impossible, given the circumstances, to have her in the book for long. And I think Ash surprised some readers with how much dark stuff he had in his past, but he is an Unseelie fey, after all. If a character is too perfect, has no doubts or conflicts, and doesn’t struggle with anything, that would make for a very boring character.

3- Can we expect any more books in the series?

Meghan and Ash’s story has come to an end for now. But there is a second Iron Fey series coming out next year starring Ethan Chase, Meghan’s younger brother, when he is a bit older. And I’m sure lots of familiar faces will pop in for cameos.

4- The Immortal Rules, the first book in your new Blood of Eden series is due April 2012, can you tell us a bit more about it?

Sure! Or, better yet, I’ll let Goodreads do the talking. 🙂

You will kill. The only question is when. In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive. Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero…and turned vampire. Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She’s passing for human…for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Now onto some Xmas-y questions:

5- What’s a typical Christmas like in the Kagawa family?

Pretty typical. We wake up (Or, we’re woken up by my youngest sister at 5am), go out to the tree, empty stockings, open presents. This year, however, everyone will be coming to MY house, and will be bringing new babies and husbands and such, so it should be very interesting. 🙂

6- How is it different from when you were a kid?

See above scenario. Also, we don’t worry so much about giving presents to everyone (Except the new nephew will probably get a ton). There will be small gift exchanges, but for the most part, everyone is happy just spending time with each other and eating good food.

7- What’s Christmas like in the Faerie Realms?

I imagine fairly festive. They fey love to party, after all. The major gift-giving, however, is reserved for the rulers of the courts: Mab, Oberon, Titania, and all the court fey to try to outdo each other with giving the most elaborate gift. Enchanted humans and stolen babies are highly favored gifts, another good reason to stay together for the holidays. 😉

8- What could we offer Ash for Christmas?

Lol, well Ash loves books about history, philosophy, and military strategy, and has quite the collection of old poems, some written by the authors themselves. If you could find him a copy of an original Sophocles, he’d probably love that. ;)

Or you could always give him a sword. :D

**Drawings by Julie

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about The Iron Knight

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

First of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU ALL! I really hope you have an amazing time with your friends and family =) Now, I’m really happy to welcome Julie Kagawa on the blog, to chat about her latest release, The Iron Knight!

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1- The Iron Knight is written from Ash’s POV, was it harder for you to write from his perspective?

It was a little harder, initially. I knew Meghan; after three books I knew her voice and her personality and her quirks. It was difficult with Ash, because he was such a guarded character, and he never was really chatty. And because he’s lived such a long time, and is an Unseelie fey, he’s done some things in his life that might change how some people view him. It was actually kind of scary putting his story out there; what will people think now that they know the real Ash? But I wrote his story as honestly as I could, and I hope they will come to love the Winter Prince as much as I do.

2- The book as been released since late October, what has been the fan’s response like thus far?

I think initial reactions have been very positive. There have been concerns that Meghan is barely featured, but it was impossible, given the circumstances, to have her in the book for long. And I think Ash surprised some readers with how much dark stuff he had in his past, but he is an Unseelie fey, after all. If a character is too perfect, has no doubts or conflicts, and doesn’t struggle with anything, that would make for a very boring character.

3- Can we expect any more books in the series?

Meghan and Ash’s story has come to an end for now. But there is a second Iron Fey series coming out next year starring Ethan Chase, Meghan’s younger brother, when he is a bit older. And I’m sure lots of familiar faces will pop in for cameos.

4- The Immortal Rules, the first book in your new Blood of Eden series is due April 2012, can you tell us a bit more about it?

Sure! Or, better yet, I’ll let Goodreads do the talking. 🙂

You will kill. The only question is when. In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive. Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero…and turned vampire. Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She’s passing for human…for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Now onto some Xmas-y questions:

5- What’s a typical Christmas like in the Kagawa family?

Pretty typical. We wake up (Or, we’re woken up by my youngest sister at 5am), go out to the tree, empty stockings, open presents. This year, however, everyone will be coming to MY house, and will be bringing new babies and husbands and such, so it should be very interesting. 🙂

6- How is it different from when you were a kid?

See above scenario. Also, we don’t worry so much about giving presents to everyone (Except the new nephew will probably get a ton). There will be small gift exchanges, but for the most part, everyone is happy just spending time with each other and eating good food.

7- What’s Christmas like in the Faerie Realms?

I imagine fairly festive. They fey love to party, after all. The major gift-giving, however, is reserved for the rulers of the courts: Mab, Oberon, Titania, and all the court fey to try to outdo each other with giving the most elaborate gift. Enchanted humans and stolen babies are highly favored gifts, another good reason to stay together for the holidays. 😉

8- What could we offer Ash for Christmas?

Lol, well Ash loves books about history, philosophy, and military strategy, and has quite the collection of old poems, some written by the authors themselves. If you could find him a copy of an original Sophocles, he’d probably love that. ;)

Or you could always give him a sword. :D

**Drawings by Julie

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about The Iron Knight

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Rachel Vincent released the first book in her brand new adult series, Blood Bound, back in August and since it was my favorite read of 2011, I had to invite Rachel to the event! I will let you guess how excited I was when she accepted *g*

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1- Blood Bound is the first book in your new series, how hard was it to create a whole new world that’s so different from everything out there?

Very, very difficult. And I’ve already heard that it’s "too similar" to another book I’ve never read, so really, it feels impossible to create something totally new. The best we can do as writers is to write everything from our own perspective and try to bring some new slant even to old ideas.

2- Blood Bound has been my favorite read in 2011, what’s been the fan response like?

For the most part, people really seem to like it. One blog reviewer said that she liked it, but didn’t plan to continue because she can’t imagine the world not getting darker with each book. And I think that’s a valid point. These aren’t light, fluffy stories. These are stories about people who have to make horrible choices and tragic sacrifices. That’s never easy, and a world that forces those kinds of decisions will never be full of rainbows and sunshine. 😉 But yes, I’ve been thrilled with the critical reception so far.

3- Shadow Bound, the second book in the series, features Kori & Ian, will we see more of Liv & Cam? I really liked them and feel like there’s more to their story!

Yes, Liv and Cam will both be in the book a little bit. But they’ll be on the other side of the great divide this time. 😉

4- How many books are planned in the series? I was sad to say my good byes to the Shifters series last year, but I’m happy to have a new amazing adult series to sink my teeth into!

Three. This will be a trilogy, unless something changes drastically.

Now onto some Christmas-y questions:

5- What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

"It’s A Wonderful Life." That may be a cliched answer, but it’s true. I’m fascinated with the concept. I’d love to do something with that "what if I’d never been born" concept some day.

6- What’s a typical Christmas like in the Vincent family?

Lots of baking. A real tree. Traditionally colored wrapping paper and white lights outside. I like a traditional Christmas. So it’s kind of unfortunate that I live in San Antonio, where it was 70 degrees on Christmas day last year. 😉

7- How is it different from when you were a kid?

Now I’m an adult and I buy presents. And I pick the menu. And bake the pies.

8- Is there any Christmas wishes you’d like to share with our readers?

I hope everyone gets at least one new book for Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) this year. You can never go wrong with reading. 😉

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If it got you curious, here’s a bit more about Blood Bound

*Beware official product description contains spoilers*

By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can’t touch the power. But Liv Warren is special – a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend’s daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can’t rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series about a werecat named Faythe Sanders, who is learning to define her own role in her family and fighting to claim a place in her Pride. Her new adult series, Unbound, will debut September 1, 2011 in the US, Canada, and the UK with Blood Bound.

Rachel’s young adult urban fantasy series, Soul Screamers, is about a teenage bean sidhe (banshee) trying to balance a normal high school experience with the terrifying, hidden world she’s just discovered. My Soul To Take, My Soul To Save, My Soul To Keep, and My Soul To Steal are available now. Look for book five, If I Die on October 1, 2011 in the US and Canada.

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.